Mixer attachment for ice cream freezer

ABSTRACT

An agitator or stirrer adapted for use in a home ice cream freezer to mix bread dough and the like which consists of a curved length of rod having an angular fitting at its upper end to be engaged and driven by the driving socket of the freezer and a finger projecting downwardly into the bearing socket of the freezer tub, the lower end being shaped to extend close to the corner between the side wall and bottom of the tub and the portion between the upper fitting and the finger extending into close proximity with the wall of the tub.

[ Aug. 7, 1973 United States Patent 11 1 Schroeder 259/122 259/10811/1922 Gilbert.1..,..... 259/108 876,633 Gray 1,042,278 Roseland1,435,289

Primary Examiner-Robert W. Jenkins Att0rneyLamont Johnston m 0 E "w a xO E B w M R 0 mm F n m e cc E LN m n m mm T 0M T A E r RZ w EE H mm wMF.m 4 P 5 U [22 Filed: May 24, 1972 [57] ABSTRACT An agitator orstirrer adapted for use in a home ice Appl. No.: 256,398

cream freezer to mix bread dough and the like which consists of a curvedlength of rod having an angular fitting at its upper end to be engagedand driven by the driving socket of the freezer and a finger projecting5 MU W 5 h& 200 S 1 8 7 H .0 9 H 5 9 2 5 [52] U.S. [51] Int Cl [58]Field of Search..................,.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS tending into close proximity withthe wall of the tub.

661,795 Stevens....................... 259/185 830,256 259/108 1 Claim,2 Drawing Figures MIXER ATTACHMENT FOR ICE CREAM FREEZER BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION At the present time, many people own and use ice creamfreezers, whether hand operated or electric. The typical freezer iscircular in cross section and many of those being sold at the presenttime consist of plastic tubs having bearing sockets at the centers oftheir bottoms for journaling an inner cah or bucket which con tains theice cream mixture. The top portion of the freezer has a transverselyextending bracket in the center of which is a driving socket forconnection with the interior can to revolve it relative to the dasher,which is stationary, within the can for stirring the ice cream mix. Homeice cream freezers are used only a few times per year, ordinarily. Atthe present time, there is considerable amount of interest in makingbread of the health food variety at home. Mixing the dough is alaborious process, when done by hand, but I have discovered a means forlightening the hand labor involved in making ones bread dough at home.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One object of this invention is to provide anattachment for ice cream freezers which can be used in standard home icecream freezers as now sold and which lightens considerably the labor ofmaking bread dough and other mixes at home.

Another object is to provide an attachment for a home ice creamfreezerwhich enables the mixing of bread dough and other mixes in astandard ice cream freezer, as now commercially sold, the agitator beingreadily connected to the mechanism for driving the ice cream freezercan, the agitator being pivoted in the bearing socket provided in thetub of the ice cream freezer and being effective in mixing thoroughlybread dough and other'mixes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of anice cream freezer showing one embodiment of a mixer attachment inposition in the freezer and ready for use as a mixer; and

FIG. 2 is an exploded view.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT There is shown in the drawing anice cream freezer which is currently a standard article of commerce, thefreezer having a tub I, usually plastic in the electrically operatedmodels, to the top of which is attached a transverse member 2 hooked toone side 3 of the top of the tub and fastened by a catch 4 to the otherside of the tub. Although a hand-operated driving mechanism may beemployed, it is now common for an electric motor 5 connected by suitablewiring 6 to an electrical outlet to do the work of operating thefreezer. To the lower end of the electric motor there is connected adriving socket 7 having an opening 8 in which are positioned drivingnotches for engagement with the inner can, not shown, of an ice creamfreezer.

In the center of the bottom 9 of the ice cream freezer tub I there isconventionally formed a bearing socket 10 for supporting rotatively theinner container or can of an ice cream freezer.

In the present adaptation ofa home ice cream freezer to a mixingoperation, a mixer attachment or stirrer II, in the cross-sectional formof a rod, is provided which has, at its top end, a fitting or nut 12 ofsquare or other suitable angular cross section so as to be engaged anddriven by the driving socket 7 of the freezer. The attachment extendsdownwardly from the fitting l2 and is so shaped, e.g., by being curvedoutwardly, as to form a portion 13 which comes nearly in contact withthe side wall 1 of the freezer tub. The shape of the portion 13 is to bevaried according to the density, viscosity, consistency and otherqualities of the material to be mixed.

Below the portion 13 where the attachment extends closely adjacent tothe side wall 1, the stirrer attachment curves back inwardly to a partwhere it has a finger l4 projecting downwardly and adapted to bejournaled in the bearing socket 10, which functions as a support inwhich the finger 14 rotates. From the finger 14, the attachment extendsfurther out to an end 15 very close to the corner junction between theside wall 1 and the bottom wall 9 of the freezer tub.

It has been found experimentally that there is a limit to the amount ofcurvature, or other shape, which can be used in the portion 13 beforethe attachment builds up too much resistance to the bread dough mix, orother mix, as it thickens with the addition of sufficient material tomake the proper mix.

An attachment made in accordance with this invention can be made invarious dimensions and diameters of the rod to be suitable for use withvarious sizes, depths, etc., of ice cream tubs presently being used andwith materials of various kinds to be mixed.

In use of the invention, the agitator or mixer attachment is held firmlyand rotates while the ice cream freezer outer tub, itself, remainsstationary.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made in the invention, without departing from the spirit and scopethereof, and therefore the invention is not limited by that which isshown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only asindicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An agitator particularly adapted for stirring a semiviscous pastymaterial such as bread dough mix and for use in a home ice cream freezerhaving a rotating driving socket for a can and a tub for refrigerantwith a bearing socket at the center of its bottom, the agitator havingan angular fitting at its upper end for engagement by the drivingsocket, a cylindrical finger projecting vertically downwardly near itslower end for journaling in the bearing socket of the tub, the lowerportion of the agitator extending from the finger to an end in closeproximity with the corner between the bottom and side of the tub and theagitator being so shaped that the portion between the fitting at itsupper end and the finger nearits lower end extends closely adjacent tothe side of the tub.

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1. An agitator particularly adapted for stirring a semi-viscous pastymaterial such as bread dough mix and for use in a home ice cream freezerhaving a rotating driving socket for a can and a tub for refrigerantwith a bearing socket at the center of its bottom, the agitator havingan angular fitting at its upper end for engagement by the drivingsocket, a cylindrical finger projecting vertically downwardly near itslower end for journaling in the bearing socket of the tub, the lowerportion of the agitator extending from the finger to an end in closeproximity with the corner between the bottom and side of the tub and theagitator being so shaped that the portion between the fitting at itsupper end and the finger near its lower end extends closely adjacent tothe side of the tub.